Nicaragua
In search of new horizons for a better Nicaragua
When Nicaragua’s bishops presented this document
to President Ortega and the First Lady on May 21,
they said the following:
“We invite the religious communities and all Nicaraguan citizens
to make it the object of reflection and prayer,
so that by the grace of God and our civic commitment,
it is transformed into effective practice that leads us to
cooperate generously and with sacrifice in political society.”
For this reason, we publish it in its entirety.
Mr. President and Madam First Lady, on behalf of all my brother bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua, I thank you for the kindness you have shown us in accepting that we meet together this afternoon. As we expressed in the letter with which we accepted this dialogue, our only wish is to “share with sincerity and good will our common concern for the construction of a better Nicaragua and a more prosperous and hopeful society for all Nicaraguans.” We do not come before you motivated by any ideology or as professional politicians or spokespersons of any partisan group, but rather “as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed” (1Cor 4:1). We also wish to thank our beloved brother in the Episcopal Conference, the Most Reverend Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, for receiving us so attentively and affectionately in the Nunciature this afternoon.
2. The issues we have chosen to present for your consideration are: the family, the great social problems, human rights, the relationship between the Church’s missionary work and certain governmental policies, some problematic aspects of the Atlantic Coast and, finally, the country’s institutional problem.
I. THE FAMILY 3. The family is a fundamentally important institution for the Church. From our faith the family “has been the setting and school of communion, source of human and civic values, and home where human life is born and is welcomed generously and responsibly” (Aparecida Document #302 [V General Conference of the Bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, Aparecida, Brazil]). It is “the original cell of social life (...), the first school of life where the truths of faith and the great human and civic values that constitute the basis of social coexistence are passed on and experienced” (Letter from the Nicaraguan Episcopal Conference [CEN], 30.12.12, #6).
4. We acknowledge the efforts made by the Government in international forums in expressing respect for the life of the unborn child and recognizing that “marriage” in its strict sense is the union between a man and a woman. However, the so-called Family Code is a major concern for us, and we believe it deserves to be discussed in more depth by the different sectors of society and enriched and freed from possible ambiguities. On behalf of the ecclesial community, “as disciples and missionaries of Jesus Christ, we are called to work so that this situation may be transformed and the family may assume its being and its mission within society and the Church” (Aparecida Document, #432).
5. We believe that educational, pastoral and legal efforts must be made to overcome “a chauvinist mindset that ignores the newness of Christianity, in which the equal dignity and responsibility of women relative to men is recognized and proclaimed” (Aparecida Document, #453). That is why we steadfastly condemn all aggression and violence against women and appreciate all efforts being made to overcome this disgraceful social occurrence. Although Law 779 has striven to attain this objective, we must recognize that it has not succeeded in overcoming the grievous violence against women in society and in the family. A law that is not accompanied by comprehensive education of the people is always insufficient. We also understand that in some cases its implementation has not been sufficiently fair and has even become a factor in breaking up many homes. A national educational program is urgently needed to overcome this problem.
Family Cabinets and forced sterilization6. We are extremely concerned that the right of families to their privacy and freedom of conscience is not being respected. “The political community has a duty to honor the family, to assist it, and to ensure especially the freedom to establish a family, have children, and bring them up in keeping with the family’s own moral and religious convictions” (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2211). That is why we ask that the limits to the so-called “Family Cabinets” be made sufficiently clear and they be prevented from undue interference in the life of our families. We know that in some cases they have even inspected the life of others and have intruded into the privacy of the home, which is in violation of the “parental rights” clearly stated in Article 75 of the Family Code. We also understand that in some health centers women have been forcibly sterilized and abortifacient contraceptives are sold. Especially in rural areas, this has become very common. We would like to know if this is Government policy, as it is an extremely serious issue that threatens peoples’ life and dignity.
The seriousness of “gender ideology” 7. From our faith we consider that teaching the so-called “ideology of gender” in some educational centers is a serious and undue imposition and opposed to the plan of God the Creator and “the differences set to them by human nature” (Aparecida Document, #40). At least, we would ask that schools and universities give equal opportunity to teaching the Catholic moral doctrine, inspired in Revelation and the Doctrine of the Church. We also believe that opportunities in society for man and woman should be equal, distinguished only by their personal qualities, their abilities and their intellectual education. “The aim is to harmonize, complement, and labor by combining efforts. Woman is called to be a good steward with man for the present and the future of our human society” (Aparecida Document, #452).
II. THE SOCIAL SITUATION 8. “For the Church the option for the poor is primarily a theological category rather than a cultural, sociological, political and philosophical one. God shows the poor his ‘first mercy’ (…).” That is why, in the Church, as individuals and as an institution, “We are called to find Christ in [the poor], to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them” (Evangelii Gaudium, #198). In spite of the Government’s efforts to surmount the problem of poverty, we in the country continue to suffer from what Pope Francis has called the “throw-away culture.” A large part of our population lives in poverty, unemployment is alarming, the cost of living and poverty are continually growing while at the same time, as has always happened in the history of this country, a few individuals and power groups continue to excessively enrich themselves. “Those excluded are no longer society’s underside or its fringes or its disenfranchised—they are no longer even a part of it. The excluded are not the ‘exploited’ but the outcast, the ‘leftovers’” (Evangelii Gaudium, #53).
Lack of quality medical
care and medicines9. Echoing this merciful closeness of God to those who suffer the most from poverty in all its forms, we want to share with you some concerns that touch our hearts as pastors. We are pleased by the construction of the new hospital in Mulukukú and others in the country and the best attention that some health centers in rural areas provide. However, we find that in very many other areas and cities of the country there is a widespread lack of quality medical attention in hospitals and health centers and an absence of sufficient medicines for many illnesses. Is the Government concerned about this distressing problem affecting so many poor people who are suffering, both in the countryside and the cities? What if the aid provided with so much difficulty by organizations such as the Church and the NGOs were to stop attending to these vulnerable sectors of the population? More effective and coordinated public health policies are urgently needed to help solve so serious a problem.
10. We are concerned to see that many donations for public hospitals and health centers, such as medicines and surgical equipment, coming to us as gifts from abroad, have serious problems with customs procedures, running the risk that many of them will deteriorate or expire. The Government of the Republic needs to facilitate these donations reaching their final destination more quickly and efficiently to benefit our neediest brethren.
The practice of cruel and
inhuman treatment in prisons11. Although we are delighted that the construction is already being put out to tender for a new prison in Bluefields with funds seized from international drug trafficking, we know through our national Catholic Prison Ministry, human rights organizations and the Public Ministry itself that the prison population is alarmingly and dangerously overcrowded, endangering the lives and integrity of prisoners and the officials who work in those centers. In recent years, there has been an increase in situations and conditions where national and foreign citizens have received inhuman, cruel and degrading treatment, particularly in the Legal Aid Division’s prisons known as “El Chipote.” We have ample documentation of people from different parts of the country who have suffered such mistreatment. The Government needs to establish solutions in the near term to prevent serious and irreparable harm to these people and eradicate once and for all this social blot on the country’s penitentiary system. Given these abuses and mistreatment suffered by many of our brethren deprived of liberty, we wonder about the values guiding the national penitentiary system? What training do the officials who work there receive, especially regarding human rights? What criteria are used to select these officials?
12. We urge the Government to take into consideration the bill, duly documented and submitted to the National Assembly in September 2013 by the Nicaraguan Pro-Human Rights Association (ANPDH), that requests the definitive closure of “El Chipote” prisons and that the place be declared a national museum for the reasons mentioned above. We ask the Government not to put any obstacle to human rights organizations’ access to the country’s prison systems, so they can verify anomalies and consequently inform the wardens and governing authorities. We propose that the procedures contemplated in the bill on due process and preventive and alternative measures favoring compliance with sentencing be expedited. Finally, we suggest the establishment of a comprehensive penal rehabilitation policy through social integration programs and differential treatment for detainees according to age, how dangerous they are and how the sentence has been served.
The social integration of prisoners13. Another serious problem faced by many Nicaraguans deprived of liberty is that having served the sentence established by law, they are not given their prison release papers by the authorities. We assure you, Mr. President, that this is a distressing problem for many families. We are also deeply concerned that criminal gangs are being organized inside these prisons and are engaging in new organized crimes inside and outside these centers. This problem has serious consequences for social peace and urgently needs to be addressed.
Nicaragua’s future depends on
a decided option for education14. While acknowledging the efforts made by the Government in the field of education, in overcoming illiteracy and improving the structure of many educational centers, we wish to express our conviction that we are at a historical and cultural point in our country where a clear and decided choice urgently needs to be taken for the education of the upcoming generations. Nicaragua’s future largely depends on educational quality and the rational and ethical horizons it creates in young people. Only a well-educated society capable of thinking and reasoning can be free and generate processes and institutions that will safeguard justice, peace and democracy in the country. Without excellence in education there is no democracy. The Church is not indifferent to this very urgent choice. This is why it considers Catholic education centers to be living and necessary elements in its missionary work, surpassing the so-called “reductionist understanding of the human being” that guides the educational institution to “not promote the best values of young people or their religious spirit” (cf. Aparecida Document, #328). We encourage the Government to promote excellence in education at all educational levels; to avoid ideological indoctrination of young people in schools and universities, without thrusting them into other activities outside the field of education; to encourage young people to avail themselves of the time spent studying so that only those graduate who show they have assimilated the knowledge received; and finally to prioritize the humanistic area where the coming generations can properly train in the art of thinking and reasoning sensibly and wisely and maturely enter into the world of great ethical values so as to build a just, peaceful and tolerant society.
Fair social security15. We believe no efforts should be spared in ensuring that Nicaragua increasingly becomes more of a nation where the Social Security system is fair and economically sound for all workers in the country and does not act as if it is giving alms to the elderly who ask for what is rightly due to them in retirement. (cf. CEN, 7.10.11, #10g).
The government could
do more about migrants16. It is extremely distressing that the number of young and adult Nicaraguans who leave the country in search of employment is still increasing, thus exposing themselves to various kinds of exploitation ranging from the violation of their rights to falling into the hands of organized crime and sex tourism. We are convinced that the Government could do much more to protect migrants, creating partnerships with the Church and other institutions, attending to migrants on the borders, supporting the shelters. We also suggest assisting young people who have been given scholarships abroad by the Government to avoid hazardous sufferings and a frustrated return to the country. We further suggest that the Government supervise border officials more closely to prevent the grievous drama of child trafficking, while we wonder about the current status of the bill for the protection of the migrant. In any case, it is an urgent challenge for the Government to take concrete steps to prevent this growing flow of our Nicaraguan brethren to other countries.
III. HUMAN RIGHTS 17. For a man of faith, talking about human rights means talking about the very mystery and glory of God revealed in the human being, created in His own image and likeness. The ultimate source of human rights, in fact, is not found in the will of human beings, in public or sState authorities, but in man himself and in God his creator. It is therefore not alien to the missionary service and pastoral work to constantly proclaim the Christian basis of the rights of man and to denounce any violation of those rights.
We need a comprehensive national plan18. A lot still needs to be done in Nicaragua to respect and promote human rights in their entirety. We note the lack of a comprehensive national plan that includes a program to reduce poverty without exceptions; raise the educational quality; encourage environment-friendly productivity; promote work without partisan discrimination; unconditionally respect fundamental individual freedoms; and provide social-economic development with equal opportunities for all. While acknowledging the great efforts by the National Police to ensure citizen safety and fight against crime, it is urgent to put an end to all abuses of authority and mistreatment by the same Police of citizens peacefully demanding their rights, and also to oversee the National Police so it does not fall into indifference and disinterest in making justice prevail and safeguarding the integrity of defenseless groups of young people, women, tradespeople, etc. who have been attacked by some violent groups under the impassive gaze of law enforcement officers.
Violations of labor rights19. We propose putting an end to the lack of respect for human rights in the workplace through concrete strategies and actions aimed at overcoming: a) The lack of permanent employment and inequality of opportunities, which leads to the enrichment of only certain power groups; b) erratic public job-creation policies, which benefit only the sector that favors the Government; c) Some state decisions against workers not affiliated to the ruling party, demanding conditions for obtaining or maintaining a job such as participation in the governing party’s political activities and retaining a quota from the salary as a party contribution; d) The violation of labor rights, harassment at work and offenses against women in companies in the free trade zone.
A lumber mafia is pillaging
the few green reserves20. We are very concerned about the increasing and alarming deterioration and destruction of our natural resources, which represent not only a benefit for the ecology of the country but also for tourism and the economy. We wonder why the laws protecting natural resources and protected areas are not being applied. Forestry management plans and changes of soil use for coffee growing have contributed to the irrational deterioration of the forests, drying up many of the water sources and so violating the regulations of protected areas. We propose that the Government firmly confront this serious problem of disrespect for the environment and natural resources. The ethnic peoples from the banks of the Río Wanki [also known as Río Coco], the north, the Atlantic and other areas of the country have been heard regularly and repeatedly clamoring about the existence of a lumber mafia that has been preying on the few green reserves we still have: Bosawás and Prinzapolka, the Dipilto-Jalapa mountain range, the Indio Maíz reserve and other areas equally important for their biodiversity. Individuals and organizations are operating in these places under the corrupt protection of municipal and national authorities, continuing their predatory work without any kind of restriction, ignoring the many existing laws protecting the environment. Furthermore, we must not omit the seriousness that open-pit mining represents to the conservation and balance of the environment. We ask the Government to require that mining companies already operating in the country take the proper measures to protect people’s lives and prevent environmental pollution and expressly deny permission for such works in areas as yet untouched by mining, such as in the municipality of Rancho Grande in Matagalpa, respecting the decision of its inhabitants. We propose that the current law on “Exploitation of the wealth of natural resources” be reformed in regard to mining.
Respect for freedom of
expression and of information21. We are concerned that the Government does not prioritize and very often does not respect the right to free speech, due both to the growing monopoly of the social media by groups that do not favor a plurality of information and to the discrimination of a large sector of the social media and information professionals. We propose that the Government promote and practice unrestricted freedom of speech in accordance with the constitutional provisions and laws of the nation. Equally worrying is the lack of access to public information, despite the existence of a specific law and the fact that the Constitution itself clearly establishes it. The public has the right to know, with absolute transparency, about all matters concerning public administration. We propose to the Government that its officials find the time, resources and willingness to keep the citizenry informed, without any kind of exclusion among information professionals. At the same time we propose that the Government comply, without any kind of discrimination, with the law and regulations attached to the Constitution about assigning license frequencies for operating radio and television channels.
IV. SOME SITUATIONS IN THE
APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF BLUEFIELDS 22. Firstly we wish to ask the Government to consider creating new municipalities on the Atlantic Coast. The municipalities of the RAAN and the RAAS are generally very extensive and transport is not very good. This greatly impedes the provision of basic services in the municipalities. We acknowledge with satisfaction and gratitude the road improvements in many areas and the construction of new access roads. However, it is important to continue improving the road network on the Caribbean Coast. Good roads enable the citizenry to be better served in medical and pastoral matters.
The Caribbean Coast is still
a “colony” of the Pacific23. Since the Caribbean Coast was annexed to the Republic of Nicaragua in 1894 it has been a genuine “colony” of the Pacific. Its natural resources (gold, fish, timber, etc.) have been extracted without enough resources being channeled to benefit the Atlantic region and a land tenure system (private property) has been established that does not respect the traditional customs of the area’s inhabitants (communal lands). Law 445 attempts to safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants to own their lands, not as individuals but as communities. More than 12,741 square miles are recognized as indigenous lands in 23 territories of the RAAS, the RAAN, many Afro-Caribbean areas to the southeast of Bluefields and the department of Jinotega.
A sanitation process is needed
in the indigenous territories24. The legal “sanitation” process needs to be done. Of the 23 territories mentioned above, 22 have been given land titles. We propose that the Government urgently conduct a census of non-indigenous families that have settled on these lands to learn their legal status. If they arrived after 1987, the date Nicaragua recognized communal lands, the territorial assembly must decide if a particular family stays or not. If they stay, they must pay land rent, since indigenous lands cannot be sold; if the assembly decides that they go, the Government must pay that family for any improvements they made.
25. The settlers who come to these lands destroy the forests to make pasturelands; indigenous people see the forest as part of their normal habitat. They have two different worldviews and two different cultures. We suggest the Government give more attention to this problem because of the violent consequences that have arisen in the territories: deaths, strikes, kidnappings, etc. It presents a serious pastoral support problem for the Church because we do not want to neglect anyone, settler or indigenous, nor do we want to break the law, which is fundamental in a rule of law. This is why we ask the Government to address the legal sanitation problem through dialogue, supporting the process and concerned to find a fair solution that is respected by all.
The painful situation on the Río Coco26. The governments that signed Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO) committed themselves to respect the territories traditionally used by indigenous peoples for hunting, agriculture and other uses. For centuries, the Miskitu people of the Río Wanki have used both sides of the river to survive. In recent years, however, ranchers from the northern side, in Honduras, have been destroying nature to make pasturelands. This has brought suffering and death to our Miskitu brethren on the Nicaraguan side of the river. There have been violent acts against these people by Honduran ranchers who have established estates in indigenous territory contravening the law on communal lands. We are concerned that so little importance is given to the rights of Nicaraguans who live near the Río Wanki. The ILO agrees to mediate the situation if the two governments, Nicaragua and Honduras, accept it. We believe it is urgent and important that the national government address this distressing situation.
Information and debate
needed on the canal project27. The Grand Interoceanic Canal of Nicaragua project will directly affect three of our jurisdictions and indirectly another five on the Atlantic Coast. There are reports of numerous Chinese in the Río Punta Gorda and Río Rama areas who have been placing boundary markers, reportedly looking for possible canal routes. As pastors we are extremely concerned about this situation and think it is urgent to have accurate and precise information about this great project so as to prepare ourselves for the future. All this will radically affect the culture, lifestyle and work of our people and of future generations. Regarding the possible construction of the canal, it is urgent to know as soon as possible not only the route, the location of new cities, the duration of construction, the manner and price the legitimate and current owners will be paid for their land, and an estimate of the number of workers, their place of origin and many other details, but it is also vital and urgent that the project be discussed in greater depth, listening to the opinion of national and foreign scientists who are experts in this field and coordinating the constitutional, geological, technical and environmental aspects and calmly weighing up the risks of such a megaproject in order to safeguard our environment and natural resources.
A citizenry without ID cards28. We would also like the Government of the Republic to bear in mind the serious problem with identity cards on the Atlantic Coast. A peasant needs his identity card to spend a night in a lodging house in Río Blanco, Matagalpa. That is to say, it is not just a document needed for elections. However, many people in our parishes do not have identity cards. This is an extremely serious problem. It is estimated that 10,000 people are without their ID cards in Nueva Guinea. We ask that the Government address this serious problem with the urgency and gravity it deserves.
V. EVANGELISM AND SOME
GOVERNMENTAL POLICIES 29. The ultimate purpose of evangelism is to lead a human being to a personal and communal encounter with the true God, through the announcement of the Good News of the Gospel, considering a human being as one who feels, thinks and reflects. We are aware that in this way of opening up to God, there may be obstacles, manipulations, rejections, etc. Indeed, “Imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments and other psychological or social factors” (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1735, Evangelii Gaudium, #44). Many times these difficulties come from within the person, on other occasions they are produced by social and political strategies that condition from outside. Unfortunately, in recent years we have witnessed an attempt at the reductionism of individuals in Nicaragua, through outside indoctrination that makes them dependent, restricts their intelligence, their will and the freedom to be themselves. Policies that strip the individual of his liberty, ruling principle of moral conduct, suppress all his dignity and the ability of moral discernment in the light of faith, leaving him to be led by blind impulse. A human individual cannot be considered just a cog in the gigantic collective wheel, denying individuality and the natural rights accorded to human personality (cf. Divini Redemptoris, 10).
We are concerned about
unacceptable syncretic state policies30. We wish to share with the Government our concern about the spreading of syncretic state policies that distort the religious experience of Christian people and impede a respectful relationship between Church and State. No one is served by the political manipulation of religious symbols for political interests, or by the arbitrary appropriation of Catholicism’s terminology and values to incorporate them into party slogans, so detracting from their real and true meaning. There has been an unfortunate misrepresentation of the imagery of grassroots piety: going from the providential God to the party provider; feeding false messianism and imposing an ideological party-political current through which to posit a “God worship” which really is an attempt to disguise the deification of the human creature. All this falsifies the idea of true divine redemption and encourages false mysticism (cf. Divini Redemptoris, #8). The Nicaraguan people, from their Catholic faith, have assimilated and enriched their own values and through them experience and reveal their identity. The relationship between folklore and grassroots piety is undeniable, but it is unacceptable to manipulate these values, appropriating them for political interests, violating the people’s right and heritage. We propose that the State promote respect for the values and religious idiosyncrasies of Nicaraguans.
Spaces are being closed to us31. Evangelization takes place outside of churches in specific new areas: schools, hospitals, prisons, etc. We regret that these arenas of evangelization are gradually being closed to us. Obstacles are often placed to deter us from carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to these places. The Church’s evangelizing mission is motivated by the Spirit of the Risen Lord to reach every man and woman, so that they may have a full life by experiencing an encounter with Jesus Christ. Evangelization is essentially “going forth.” The mandate from Jesus to go forth and proclaim the Gospel “echoes in the changing scenarios and ever new challenges to the Church’s mission of evangelization, and all of us are called to take part in this new missionary ‘going forth’ (…) to go forth from our own comfort zone in order to reach all the ‘peripheries’ in need of the light of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium, #20). That is why, invoking the religious freedom established in our Constitution and appealing to the good will of the Government, we urgently ask that it facilitate our access to evangelize in such areas as schools, prisons, hospitals and any other place that requires the Church’s presence and action.
The manipulation of popular piety32. We believe that the Government should differentiate “religious tourism” from “grassroots piety.” Promoting our homeland’s touristic wealth, through which grassroots piety is also expressed, is wholesome and necessary for the country. However, state institutions, under the guise of “supporting” and “subsidizing” such festivals, manipulate them, distorting their real religious sense and using them to make political campaigns on behalf of the Government. “We cannot impassively watch as they use the symbols and the very language of Catholicism for political ends and even completely contrary to the values intrinsic to their meaning” (Letter from the CEN, 19.11.08).
33. It is extremely serious that the practice still persists of “gifts” being offered from the Government to pastoral agents in order to buy their consciences, condition or attempt to extinguish the prophetic aspects of proclaiming the Gospel. State support for the Church’s works should be made through the proper legal channels, respecting and distinguishing religious freedom from purely political action.
34. We are also concerned that the dependence and fear strategy is still being practiced, forcing people, in many cases against their will, to participate in partisan events in favor of the Government, creating serious contradictions and paradoxes in their inner Christian faith experience. In addition, work shifts, even those on Sundays, frequently do not allow time for the faithful to practice their most basic expressions of faith on public holidays.
VI. INSTITUTIONALITY 35. The issue of institutionality is not marginal in a democratic state; it is only possible in a rule of law where the exercise of power is subject to law and is characterized by the independence and separation of the branches of government, unrestricted observance of the law without privileges or exceptions and absolute respect for grassroots sovereignty. It is not true that sustainable economic and social development and lasting peace can be ensured without sound institutions, eradication of corruption and respect for the law.
36. In a country like Nicaragua, respect for and the strength of the institutional framework are not only indispensable but become a political imperative, because we have a relatively recent memory of anti-dictatorial struggle motivated by the closure of democratic spaces and at the same time we unfortunately have a political culture marked by ambitions for power, the myth of messianic leaders and electoral fraud. We must not forget history.
37. We, as the Episcopal Conference, have never adopted a political position of opposition, neither are we committed to any political ideology, group or party. Our words have been focused on enlightening consciences and purifying reason; we have moved in the field of values and, in fidelity to Jesus Christ and the Magisterium of the Church, we have only ever desired to “stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice in the country as well as greater readiness to act accordingly” (cf. Deus Caristas Est, #28).
Shadows have appeared since 200738. At the beginning of the FSLN’s first period in government in 2007, we did not hesitate to recognize some positive aspects in the State’s administration. Among them we can remember surmounting the dramatic energy crisis, governmental efforts to give small producers technical assistance and accessible loans, the free education project and subsidies to parish schools, the effort to improve the health system, the development of some housing projects aimed at benefiting disadvantaged people, notable improvements in the country’s road network, etc. (Letter from the CEN, 15.08.08).
39. However, dark and disturbing shadows very soon began to appear on the country’s social, economic and political landscape, to the point where in that same letter of August 15, 2008, we summarized the situation that was beginning take shape, saying: “The absence of quality and committed leaders to regulate political action is discouraging; it would seem that everything is directed to serve individuals, power and party groups, to the detriment of the common good” (#13). By April 23, 2010, there were already some clearly serious transgressions against our Constitution and disrespect for the country’s institutional framework, especially when the question was raised about the unconstitutionality of presidential reelection, the illegal prolongation by the Executive of expired state positions and the growing lack of separation and independence of the branches of government and other governmental institutions. In that year the country went back to suffering from the deeply concerning reappearance of acts of street violence against individuals and groups opposed to the Government. On that occasion we wrote in a letter: “Institutions should not be instruments in the hands of whoever is ruling to change their abuses and ambitions of power into legally justified ways and actions” (23.04.10) and months later we said in another letter: “Paradoxically the law is still a mechanism to legitimate abuses and make something illegal pass for legal” (17.11.10).
An alarming concentration
of power since 201140. Over the years the “rapid advance of various kinds of authoritarian regression by democratic means” detected by the Bishops of Latin America in some of the continent’s countries in the Aparecida Document (#74), was reaching significant levels in Nicaragua. The role of the Supreme Electoral Council has been decisive in this social occurrence: “it has failed to perform its duties with responsibility and honesty.” We described its dishonesty in 2011 as not only ethically negative but also sinful, that is, as reprehensible acts in the eyes of God (cf. Letter from the CEN, 16.11.11). Since the results of the 2011 elections, the concentration of power, governmental corruption, State-Party confusion, submission of the branches of government to the will of the Executive, disrespect for the law, lack of legal certainty, influence peddling, political intolerance, dominion over almost all the country’s municipalities, up to the recent constitutional reforms, have most alarmingly aggravated the current situation in the country and its future.
This isn’t benefiting anyone41. We do not say this because we wish to be contrary or through ideological interests, but because we are moved and enlightened by faith and a love for Nicaragua. We do not believe the current institutional and political structure of the country will bring any benefit to the current rulers, members of the ruling party or any Nicaraguan in either the medium or the long term. That is why we proposed, before the 2011 elections, that the ideal for the country would be a pluralist Nicaragua with a Government in which sovereign power truly resided in the people (CEN 7.10.11, #10b). Therefore, and in view of the concept of power as a service, which Jesus revealed to us in the Gospel, we determine that “political activity in the country is now dominated by a style of exercising authority in an abusive and autocratic way” (CEN, 26.09.12). This is why, finally, we oppose the latest constitutional reforms, as we do not believe they were the most urgent at this time, nor were they approved in the best way, and, considered in overall terms, because they are serious obstacles to strengthening and continuing to build a pluralist and democratic society (CEN, 22.11.13). Notwithstanding all this we remain hopeful that we can always set the country on the road to being a truly democratic state.
The years pass and
no one is eternal42. Mr. President, you have the ability to not disappoint the hope that many Nicaraguans placed in you at the start of your first presidential term in 2007 and to leave the nation a historical legacy worthy of being remembered by future generations. The years pass and no one lives forever. However, you still have the possibility of demonstrating your willingness to encourage a genuine opening to political pluralism in the nation; to actively collaborate in rethinking the overall functioning of the political system and to look for ways to reach national consensus, reestablishing the political normality of a truly democratic state.
We propose a national dialogue43. Facing the country’s current political and institutional situation, we wish with the best good will to make two specific proposals we are sure our people will welcome with hope and joy. The first is the holding of a “Great National Dialogue” in which all sectors of the country will participate. In our letter of April 23, 2010, the Bishops already proposed a way of “transparent and reliable dialogues between the Government, the opposition parties and civil society that will lead to an understanding between the different sectors of society and crystallize in a genuine democratic consensus and a new social pact that will guarantee the country political, legal, social and economic stability and address the population’s major problems” (#8). We believe this proposal is still valid. Nicaragua belongs to all Nicaraguans, not just a few. In a democracy everyone, without distinction, has a voice to speak and an inalienable responsibility to contribute to justice and peace. We propose that the Government start this journey of open, honest and transparent dialogues through a pure love of Nicaragua: dialogues that are not held behind the back of the people, nor simple arrangements of leaders who are only seeking their own interests and the sharing out of quotas of power. It is essential to listen to the social groups that are not in power. We respectfully urge you, Mr. President, to open the dialogue to all the nation’s sectors, welcome other opinions and even begin showing your good will in this regard by offering regular press conferences without discriminating against non-government media and starting as soon as possible on this road of national dialogues to save the future of the country.
We propose a profound
reform of the electoral system44. The second proposal we make to the Government as the Episcopal Conference, irrespective of whether or not members of the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) have already been appointed or reelected, is to begin a profound political reform of the country’s whole electoral system. We very respectfully ask that you give your word of honor to ensure that the 2016 presidential electoral process in Nicaragua will be absolutely transparent and honest, with new and honorable members leading the CSE, in which there is no doubt that the will of the people is shining through; with an identity card system independent of the CSE that will ensure that every Nicaraguan has an ID card in a timely manner before the elections; and with an open electoral process unreservedly open to observers from national and foreign institutions.
CONCLUSION 45. All the above is the fruit of our spirit as pastors of the Church who hope and desire all the best for Nicaragua. We trust that the Government of the Republic will welcome our humble contribution with good will. We have not wanted to accuse anyone but rather to open horizons and generate hope for the whole nation. “We cannot nor do we wish to replace the State; however, we cannot nor should we stay on the sidelines of history in the search for and construction of a more just and more peaceful society” (Letter from the CEN, 23.04.10, #1). We humbly and hopefully offer you our reflections. which spring from our faith in Christ and the Magisterium of the Church and continually nurture our love of the people that the Lord has entrusted to us for their pastoral care. We ask you to welcome our humble contributions presented with the affection of pastors and the hope of believers.
46. “The Church speaks from the light which faith offers, contributing her two thousand year experience and keeping ever in mind the life and sufferings of human beings” (Evangelii Gaudium, #238). It is evident that “the Church does not have solutions for every particular issue. Together with the various sectors of society, it supports those programs that best respond to the dignity of each person and to the common good. In doing this, it proposes in a clear way the fundamental values of human life and convictions which can then find expression in political activity” (Evangelii Gaudium, #241). We entrust the present and future of our country to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Nicaragua, the Virgin who prays (cf. Acts 1:14), fervently asking for all those in authority (cf. 1 Tim 2: 1-4) and for all our beloved people. “She is the missionary who draws near to us and accompanies us throughout life, opening our hearts to faith by her maternal love. As a true mother, she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with God’s love” (Evangelii Gaudium, 286).
Translated and subtitled by envío.
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a monthly magazine of analysis on Central America